Making your own Frog @ease cartridges?

[waterpro]

So we're about to order a larger Bullfrog tub, and it seems like all the dealers are using the Frog @ease system which sits between the filters. Apparently the triangle filter setup is only used on Bullfrog tubs. After reading a bit, even though it states that blue smartchlor cartridges are good for 4 weeks, most people with bigger tubs are going through the blue cartridges every 2-3 weeks. This gets really expensive, really fast!

I have also noticed that people made comments on using the inline cartridges instead of the triangular bullfrog specific cartridges and just letting them float around in the tub because it's cheaper. But even then, if I'm replacing them every 2-3 weeks that gets expensive as well.

I also saw how some people are using the inline cartridges and popping off the top to refill them which seems more ideal for me and a ton better for the environment! The downside seems to be that getting the top off is a PITA. I saw someone using a vice grip to pop it off. Doesn't seem ideal and I don't have a vice grip.

So this got me thinking, has anyone tried making their own smartchlor canister out of pvc? You could glue a bottom cap on and then use a screw on cap for the top so you can refill it. You could then just drill a few small holes in the pvc simulating the Frog @ease hole pattern you normally use and then you'd have a lifelong refillable cartridge that's easy to refill.

Curious if anyone has ever tried making their own chlorine cartridge like this?  Any downsides to doing something like this?

Also as a follow-on question, for those of you that are refilling the cartridges, what are you putting inside them?  I super new to the chemical thing, but I thought someone had mentioned dichlor?  I'm probably butchering that. 

Thanks!

[BullFrogSpasMN]

just to clarify the 'blue colored cartridge' is good for (4) months, the grey colored cartridge is the chlorine cartridge that will require replacement every 3-4 weeks...Good Luck!

[cranbiz]

I don't know about the Bromine cartridges but the Smartchlor chlorine cartridges are filled with Dantochlor. The issue with Dantochlor is the lack of a retail source for it.

I found a supplier at $50 a kilo but they will not sell to individuals.

[The Wizard of Spas]

I like the out-of-the-box thought process but the premise is flawed (in my opinion):  @ease is a different chlorine compound as it is patented.  So you cannot swap out and expect the same result, nor would you want to.  Thus one option would be to just buy tri-chlor tablets and float them, which would probably void any warranties as I don't know of a manufacturer that allows the use of tri-chlor tablets or biguanide systems.  Not saying there are zero brands that allow that, just don't know of any off the top of my head when you read the fine prints in the warranties and owner's manuals.

If I have misread / misunderstood your question, I apologize in advance.

The point of @ease is the DCDMH combined with the silver creates a different yield in both free and total chlorine, and a totally unique interaction w/the FC and TC as well.  My experience is more with the @ease floating ball instead of the in-line cartridges so I will certainly give way to another poster who might have more experience with those specific delivery methods but to this date I have not found much differentiation between the two in terms of what you're referring too.  I have found a few things that *might* help as it pertains to what I use in my personal tub and the tubs on my showroom floor:

1.  Keep pH and Alk inline.  pH specifically works better when really tight - 7.4-7.8 and Alk closer to 80ppm.
2.  Don't let the floater or cartridges dry out.
3.  Keep water above 94F
4.  Use the Jump Start later in the SmartChlor's lifespan - around week 3.
5.  If the pH is good, the floater hasn't turned over / SmartChlor cartridge isn't empty, and water is clear - don't worry about what the strip reads!
6.  Supplement later in the SmartChlor's lifespan - around week 3 or so but a few days away from the Jump Start dose - MPS Shock to help keep you consistently around 3-4 weeks.

I have a spa that is 525 gallons and I keep the dial at 4.  Useage is always a big variable and I understand that your habits and mine might be different.  Just noting some general points here that I have noticed over the past 6 years or so that @ease has been out.  Hope this helps.  Good luck moving forward. 

[BullFrogSpasMN]

I like the out-of-the-box thought process but the premise is flawed (in my opinion):  @ease is a different chlorine compound as it is patented.  So you cannot swap out and expect the same result, nor would you want to.  Thus one option would be to just buy tri-chlor tablets and float them, which would probably void any warranties as I don't know of a manufacturer that allows the use of tri-chlor tablets or biguanide systems.  Not saying there are zero brands that allow that, just don't know of any off the top of my head when you read the fine prints in the warranties and owner's manuals.

If I have misread / misunderstood your question, I apologize in advance.

The point of @ease is the DCDMH combined with the silver creates a different yield in both free and total chlorine, and a totally unique interaction w/the FC and TC as well.  My experience is more with the @ease floating ball instead of the in-line cartridges so I will certainly give way to another poster who might have more experience with those specific delivery methods but to this date I have not found much differentiation between the two in terms of what you're referring too.  I have found a few things that *might* help as it pertains to what I use in my personal tub and the tubs on my showroom floor:

1.  Keep pH and Alk inline.  pH specifically works better when really tight - 7.4-7.8 and Alk closer to 80ppm.
2.  Don't let the floater or cartridges dry out.
3.  Keep water above 94F
4.  Use the Jump Start later in the SmartChlor's lifespan - around week 3.
5.  If the pH is good, the floater hasn't turned over / SmartChlor cartridge isn't empty, and water is clear - don't worry about what the strip reads!
6.  Supplement later in the SmartChlor's lifespan - around week 3 or so but a few days away from the Jump Start dose - MPS Shock to help keep you consistently around 3-4 weeks.

I have a spa that is 525 gallons and I keep the dial at 4.  Useage is always a big variable and I understand that your habits and mine might be different.  Just noting some general points here that I have noticed over the past 6 years or so that @ease has been out.  Hope this helps.  Good luck moving forward.

The Wizard always gives good advice ;-)

FYI: Sold 2 Arcadias today!

[HoW2001]

I like the out-of-the-box thought process but the premise is flawed (in my opinion):  @ease is a different chlorine compound as it is patented.  So you cannot swap out and expect the same result, nor would you want to.  Thus one option would be to just buy tri-chlor tablets and float them, which would probably void any warranties as I don't know of a manufacturer that allows the use of tri-chlor tablets or biguanide systems.  Not saying there are zero brands that allow that, just don't know of any off the top of my head when you read the fine prints in the warranties and owner's manuals.

If I have misread / misunderstood your question, I apologize in advance.

The point of @ease is the DCDMH combined with the silver creates a different yield in both free and total chlorine, and a totally unique interaction w/the FC and TC as well.  My experience is more with the @ease floating ball instead of the in-line cartridges so I will certainly give way to another poster who might have more experience with those specific delivery methods but to this date I have not found much differentiation between the two in terms of what you're referring too.  I have found a few things that *might* help as it pertains to what I use in my personal tub and the tubs on my showroom floor:

1.  Keep pH and Alk inline.  pH specifically works better when really tight - 7.4-7.8 and Alk closer to 80ppm.
2.  Don't let the floater or cartridges dry out.
3.  Keep water above 94F
4.  Use the Jump Start later in the SmartChlor's lifespan - around week 3.
5.  If the pH is good, the floater hasn't turned over / SmartChlor cartridge isn't empty, and water is clear - don't worry about what the strip reads!
6.  Supplement later in the SmartChlor's lifespan - around week 3 or so but a few days away from the Jump Start dose - MPS Shock to help keep you consistently around 3-4 weeks.

I have a spa that is 525 gallons and I keep the dial at 4.  Useage is always a big variable and I understand that your habits and mine might be different.  Just noting some general points here that I have noticed over the past 6 years or so that @ease has been out.  Hope this helps.  Good luck moving forward.

Hang on, this is so totally different than what I understood with frog @ease (which honestly doesn't have great guidance out there).    Only ever shock with the jumpstart or MPS?  Meaning never dichlor shock?  And jumpstart three weeks after a new cartridge/water fill, not right at start-up, and then MPS a few days after that and every 3-4 weeks thereafter?

This is what I'd been doing:

1.  Dichlor shock immediately after water fill/new cartridge, and then every 4 weeks.
2.  MPS shock weekly between each dichlor shock.

I've had my tub only since mid-July, and my water chemistry has been a mess, but seems to have stabilized after (a) I realized that only the mineral cartridge should be set to 6, not both (whoops!) and (b) the dichlor cartridge had been empty for a day or two without my realizing it.  Still, it seemed like I would be going through a TON of MPS shock.

[castletonia]

I have the inline Frog @ease on my hot tub and I've also been selling both the floating and inline systems since 2016.  I recommend to my customers to use Jumpstart with each fresh fill.  Shock once a month with MPS.  Only use dichlor if needed (i.e. water quality goes bad because the @ease cartridge ran empty). 

I was told by my Frog rep earlier this year to try not to shock with dichlor because the dichlor you are adding is partially going towards the chlorine reserve, not directly to treating and disinfecting the water.  When a @ease cartridge runs empty, you have 24-48 hours before the chlorine reserve runs out.  If you reach this point or are beyond, then you will likely need to use dichlor to correct the poor water quality.  Otherwise, if you are not letting the @ease cartridge run empty, the MPS monthly should be sufficient.

Follow the guidelines Frog has for what to set each cartridge at and if you are using an inline system, make sure your programmable filter settings are also set correctly otherwise you have a too much or too little situation with the Smartchlor.  Keep pH and alkalinity inline.

Generally speaking, I have had great luck with the system.  Biggest complaint has been Smartchlor cartridges running empty earlier than the customer thinks they should.  I have found the system does tend to lower pH and alkalinity and when both are low the Smartchlor cartridge can deplete quickly.